Retracing the Ancient Silk Road: Dunhuang: Silk Road spirit drives scholarly exchanges

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03:01

The Belt and Road Initiative is not just about connectivity between markets, but also exchanges between academic institutions. A unique fusion of arts lies in the grottos near Dunhuang, a major stop along the Ancient Silk Road. Now the initiative appears to be accelerating the fusion of academic thoughts. MARK FONTES has the details.

A blazing beacon. That's one of many interpretations of the city name "Dunhuang". Situated at the junction of the northern and southern routes of the Ancient Silk Road, in the days of the silk trade, Dunhuang became the place where the east met the west. Ideas, arts, and religious principles were all exchanged, as were goods. Evidence of this lies nearby in some ancient murals.

ZHANG XIANTANG DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DUNHUANG RESEARCH ACADEMY "Elements from not only China are present in the murals of Mogao Grottos, but also elements of India, Greece, Persia, and other Central Asian cultures. It's a place where the east fuses with the west."

The Belt and Road Initiative now offers researchers at Dunhuang Research Academy more opportunities to further track how arts in Dunhuang evolved along the Silk Road.

ZHANG XIANTANG DEPUTY DIRECTOR, DUNHUANG RESEARCH ACADEMY "We are enjoying favorable policies from the Belt and Road Initiative. Foreign countries are also willing to cooperate with us. We've conducted studies in India, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan and exchanged ideas with foreign scholars."

The Initiative is also offering youths along the Belt and Road more chances to study abroad. In 2017, over 66 thousand Chinese students did so in Belt and Road countries, a 15.7% increase from 2016. Conversely, over 317 thousand students from Belt and Road countries came to study in China in the same year.

MELLAT DILNAR INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FROM KAZAKHSTAN "I chose Silk Road Studies as the focus of my education. The Belt and Road Initiative coincides with Kazakhstan's Nurly Zhol, or Bright Path, Program. For us young people, it's creating a huge platform to exchange."

KUMAR KHADKA INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FROM NEPAL "The Belt and Road Initiative is helpful in promoting the fusion of culture and exchange of academia among the participating countries. I'm already witnessing more frequent exchanges between Nepal, China, and India. Especially in education."

Dunhuang may no longer be a beacon of world trade. However, Deputy Director Wang believes the city is highly relevant in the Belt and Road Initiative, by serving as a beacon for academic exchange. MARK FONTES, CGTN.